[mtm]

I have tried many options over the years, but I have never been as happy as with my Matons. I'd also put Cole Clark and Takamine in the same category (although based on more limited experience).

For me, the main selling point of those three is: Unless you're a rock star with elite equipment throughout, they probably won't ever be the weakest link in the whole chain of amplification (including the PA system, the room acoustics and the player). If you have a very good PA system in a well-treated room potentially with a very good sound engineer, then you might benefit from having another guitar/pickup combination that also exactly matches your style of playing. For most of us, this never happens. And in every other (i.e., not perfect) setting, Matons will sound as good as an amplified acoustic guitar possibly can in that setting.